Church Camp and Being Real about Guilt.

Last weekend our church retreated to the Rocky Mountains for its annual camping getaway. What started as a small idea and small group back in 2007, has become a much-anticipated event that includes our growing church group, and has moved from the dusty primitive campsite to a large church camp complete with cabins, showers, and (gasp!) a lodge! 😉 But I insist on cooking my meal over an open fire, because to me – the heart of camping is the meals; smoke burning eyes as we fry sausage and toast marshmallows over moody flames.

We always have good intentions about getting to camp early, because we hate setting up our tent in the dark. But more times than not, we have setbacks and come motoring in after the sun has set and the stars are glimmering through the tall pines. Flashlights to the rescue! We set up camp and the older kids ran over to the group fire to meet their friends. I stayed at the tent because my littlest was sleeping. I sat on a nearby picnic table and did some star-gazing. You have never seen the stars until you’ve seen them away from the light-pollution of civilization. We have some pretty amazing skies here at the ranch, but I too often don’t take time to stand outside at night and just look at them. I get a better sense of my smallness when I look upon the greatness that lies above me.

Days at camp are full of games, hikes, and great food! Several of us enjoy camp cooking, so we get some delicious, smoky food, which always seems to taste better in the fresh air! Laughter and friends, cool breezes – scented with pine musk, wildflowers of every hue, calls of birds, and rushing mountain streams… So many beautiful reasons to spend a bit of time in the outdoors!

Being real: Hey girls, let me tell you something. I do not always like camping. It is not always magical. There have been several years we went with family or church at a cool time of the year, (30 degrees at night) and I did not enjoy it, and did not act Christlike. I allowed my flesh to dictate my actions, which resulted in my attitude being unbearable and my witness ruined. I have a genetic thyroid condition that causes me to be very sensitive to cold. Cold is not just ‘cold’ to me – it is actually painful. I would rather endure a burn or a cut or a broken bone than to be cold. I know – because I have had many injuries but nothing has been as bad as being cold. (childbirth is in a class all of its own) Anyways. So you could say I have an excuse for being grumpy when I get cold.

But do I?

No.

NO! Jesus died on the Cross to free me from sin. Allowing my carnal flesh and feelings to dictate my attitude and responses is nothing short of sin. We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us, and gave Himself for us. Romans 8:37
We have the victory in Christ! We have power of the Holy Spirit! There is no excuse for descending back into living by my feelings.

But I sinned. I grumped and complained and whined about everything in general and the cold in particular. I’m guessing my friends would have been glad for me to just be gone – back to my warm house and away from their tired ears. But of course they didn’t say that.

I went home and soon fell under conviction about the whole thing. I cannot tell you the shame and guilt I struggled with for so long. Weeks. Months!
You see, Satan will distract you from the goodness of Jesus any way He can – whether through sin or guilt. If he can’t get you to sin, He will remind you daily of your sin and how badly you fell, and how much everyone must despise you, and how you will never grow… oh, he goes on and on. I tell you – go to your Father! Repent of your sin, ask His forgiveness, and get up. Get up, dear sister! You have hope in Jesus for the future. You can believe that God wants you to win over your sin more than you do. ( don’t you want your children to succeed even more than they do?!)

If you fall into sin, don’t wallow like I did. The Bible tells us that a righteous man falls seven times and gets back up each time.  Proverbs 24:16 Satan would love to see you defeated and miserable. Jesus wants to see you victorious over sin and guilt. He is praying for you! How can you fail with Jesus praying for you?! 

And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:27

You must be seeking to be a disciple of Jesus, though. God knows the thoughts and intents of your heart, and He knows if you truly desire fellowship with him, or just rescue from Hell. It is common and easy to want rescue from Hell, and still be totally fine with your carnal, self-seeking ways. You will not get victory over your sin if this is your mindset.

I want to have fellowship with my Father – I want victory over every sin in my life, because sin separates man from God. I want to know I am approved by God in my daily life. Like the disciples who followed Jesus everywhere, I want to walk with Jesus, sit with Him, talk with Him, understand what He means, follow Him everywhere! Jesus is the Bread of Life. I need to eat that Bread so my spirit can live!

I did accept the forgiveness Jesus offers, I laid down the guilt as well as the sin, and this year was so much more enjoyable at camp! It was warmer, so that made it much easier, but I would hope that I have grown over the past several years and would fall on the power of the Holy Spirit to carry me through even a cold camp graciously. It wasn’t perfect this year, is it ever? There were problems. But there were good times too – great conversations and bonding with my sisters from church. Praise God!